How are you…no really?
I can finally say I am ‘May Tired’ in May. This year has provided challenges, circumstances beyond our control, and more changes than I thought possible, and that was only September.
But now it is finally May. Many of us are back in school, at least part-time. We are rethinking our end of the year to meet COVID guidance while giving students and families some closure to a once in a career year.
So here is the challenge my friends while you are putting in the time and effort to close out a year that has stretched us in so many ways…..slow down.
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It seems counterintuitive. With a year that had so many hiccups, pivots and stops you might think you need to be the same educator, leader, parent you were a year ago, but you don’t. We have all been through a pandemic, and while we learned there was no perfection in it, we also need to recognize the importance of pause moving forward. A recent article in the New York Times summed up what so many of us have been feeling, it isn’t depression, it isn’t a lack of motivation…it is actually called Languishing. Adam Grant describes it as this:
Languishing is a sense of stagnation and emptiness. It feels as if you’re muddling through your days, looking at your life through a foggy windshield. And it might be the dominant emotion of 2021.
Grant, A. (2021 April 19th). There is a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing. The New York Times, Section D, Page 6.
Okay so I get it, I understand how important rest is to my emotional and physical wellbeing, but how do I do it on a Tuesday, in May? Below are just a few suggestions that take no money, a little time, and lot of courage to challenge the status quo of overworking, overthinking and being overtired.
- Rethink what you have always done. Just because you have always done something at the end of the year, doesn’t mean you have to continue to do it this year. Social distancing practices, hybrid schedules, and the inclusion of online learners in the classroom gives you a chance to slow down, pick one thing and do it well. If a project is going to take time away from your weekend and your family-file it for next year and move on.
- Take intentional time off at night to spend time with your family and friends. One purpose I have set a foundation for is the importance of relationships and making meaningful connections-not just for those at school but those at home. This May I have a set a goal to be home and make 4 dinners a week. By setting this goal I have had to shut down the computer and leave work at a more reasonable time, choose what projects need to be done in May, and which ones can wait until June/July and let the office staff know so they can ‘gently remind’ me when it is time to go home.
- Find daily white space. My May calendar can look like a Tetris game at times. I bet if I move this and shorten that I can do just one more meeting, one more committee, when it is really one more thing that can lead to burnout, fatigue and frustration as we finish the year. Block off at least 30 minutes on your calendar daily. Go for a walk on your prep, eat lunch (not at your desk), or go out in the morning before school and connect with kids. When you free up space in your day, you also free up your mind to be open to opportunities to connect and send students and staff off with more intentionality and more time.
So while some of you might be reading this with tears, or terror of the thought of what you have to accomplish this month-take this as a challenge to rethink May tired and move into a space where May means more time for rest.
Jessica
Listen: So How Do You Keep Your Purpose Close as You Are Trying To Close Out This Challenge Year?
Learn: Resources to deepen your thinking around rest.
- Check out the Truly Co Blog for Resources on Balance, Intentionality and Making Those Commitments Stick.
- Read Michael Hyatt: You Can Achieve Work-Life Balance This Year
- Reflect on the article : There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing
Lead: How can you implement one aspect of rest this week?
Principal in Balance: Learning to Lead in Work and Life 